Workaway reviews, feedback and ratings - page 3

We met a lot of lovely people here on the farm. We slept in our van in the driveway next to the volunteer house for a week. The expectations and working times were communicated to us by message on this platform, then through the WhatsApp group, very clearly. Other questions were answered by the other volunteers who were happy to show us around. The volunteer house had hot showers, wifi, washing machine and fully-stocked kitchen. Volunteers ought to pitch in to help keep the house clean during their stay. The jobs for us newbies were very simple - we spent a day planting chards, another weeding, a morning hunting for snails and slugs, and a day in the kitchen peeling and chopping vegetables, then putting sauerkraut in jars. Chatting with other volunteers from around the world made the work more enjoyable, and having access to the meditation room in the evening (as long as there are no Air BnB guests staying on the farm) was a beautiful bonus. Thank you for letting us join the community ☺️

From the moment of Corrine’s arrival there was a breath of fresh air about the place along with a big hug and a smile. Conversation is easy and insightful and I felt I had known Corrine for more than just the few days. Corrine has a wonderful energy that cannot but help make you smile. And gee this wonderful human can sure last the distance as far as stamina goes! A big day resulted in Corrine feeling revitalised from the workout! I was so happy looking over the tasks completed as it had made a big difference. So good to work together and see the results. A thousand thankyous Corrine! It was great to sit around the campfire at the end of the day with satisfaction and good company. You did a fantastic job Corrine. If ever you are looking for a change of scene you are forever welcome with your brightness, enthusiasm and diligence. A bath under the stars next? 😃

Having Kim here helping was absolutely wonderful. Shes very happy great with guests and very reliable! I was able to go away for a few days and she completely ran the establishment on her own. What more can I say, I will miss you sorry we didnt get to do some walks , next time, mi casa es tu casa , Safe travels Kim

Italian: Vivere la routine di Noriko e Marcello è il vero paradiso. È stato un soggiorno breve quello che ho potuto godermi lì, ma sufficiente per capire il perché del nome dietro al loro progetto. La gentilezza di tutta la famiglia, compresi i genitori di Noriko che, con un po’ di giapponese, aprono le porte della loro casa e della loro vita, la visione del loro progetto e il modo in cui lo condividono con te sono incredibilmente emozionanti. Non ti costringeranno mai a lavorare, ma ti incoraggeranno a contribuire insieme a loro secondo le tue possibilità. Ti suggeriranno opzioni molto divertenti, come la scuola libera Pionero Mori, dove l’energia e la passione si fondono in un’atmosfera vibrante tra i ragazzi e gli insegnanti. Consiglio vivamente di passare nel loro paradiso e lasciare tutto ciò che puoi di te stesso. English: Living the same routine as Noriko and Marcello is the real paradise. It was a short term stay but you can understand why they choose that name to their project. The kindness of all the family, even Noriko’s parents, the vision of their project and how they share it with you is amazingly exciting. They wil not push you to work, but you can contribute with all your will. They will suggest you with incredible projects like the Pionero Mori, a free school where energy and passion are combine with a beautiful atmosphere and nice vibes. I extremely recommend you to apply, contribute and enjoy the farm. Spanish: Vivir la rutina de Noriko y Marcello es el verdadero paraíso. Fue una estancia corta la que pude disfrutar allí, pero suficiente para entender el porqué del nombre detrás de su proyecto. La amabilidad de toda la familia, incluso los padres de Noriko que con un poco de japonés abren las puertas de su casa y de su vida, la visión de su proyecto y cómo comparten eso contigo es increíblemente emocionante. No te forzarán a trabajar en ningún momento, pero te animan a contribuir junto a ellos en tus posibilidades. Te sugerirán opciones muy divertidas como la escuela libre Pionero Mori, donde la energía y la pasión se combinan con una atmósfera vibrante entre los chavales y los monitores. Recomiendo encarecidamente pasarse por su paraíso y dejar todo lo que puedas de ti mismo.

Theo stayed with us for a month while visiting the Netherlands. We truly enjoyed him being a part of our family. He is very polite with a nice and gentle energy. A good companion too. He was wonderful with my boys, playing endless games of Uno and teaching them how to shuffle cards. He was always willing to help and willing to pickup all sorts of jobs: from helping with the renovation to fixing bikes or repairing handle from the washing machine. Theo thank you so much for everything and know yourself to be welcome if your path leads you to the Netherlands again. Let’s not say goodbye, but Au revoir

Starting with this project was a good way to know Chiba Taking 2h and a half to arrive here from Tokyo, you will have a rural and quiet life in this place, being able to practice surf in your free time. Apart from that, the work consists in 5h of working between the garden and fields next to the main house and taking care of the kiwi farm 20 min away by car. Your schedule will be explained by Greg during the first half an hour of work, he used to work sometimes with us checking that we are following the instructions. Another point of this place is the neightborhood, full of international people and good restaurants, there is always a good walking or temple to discover We were a team of 4 usually, and the 25 hours of work covers the accomodation and the food that you will have to buy and lend the tickets to Greg. A point to be aware is that if you don't like spiders or bugs in general you should be aware the wildlife here. You will have a good time if you like nature, beach and hard work, you should have a little patience and good English as well. (Caps)

I simply loved my time here! One month went so fast and everything became so familiar after a short while that was really hard to leave. Mahalia and her gorgeous family truly welcomed me and made me feel part of this amazing project she dreamt of and worked so hard for. The place is immersed in nature, the yoga shala is simply wonderful, I could practice everyday at the sounds of the birds and nature waking up. I was teaching one class in the morning and then could spend time socialising with the guests, sharing meals together, enjoying the beautiful pristine beaches nearby. I learnt about local culture, local foods and most importantly it taught me how to slow down and enjoy each and every precious moment everyday. I will definitely come back if I get the chance.

I spent one month with Amelie and Johan, from early October to November, and I had a really great time. They are both very kind, helpful, and easy to talk to. You feel welcome and comfortable right away. In the evenings we had many interesting and funny conversations. We also went on some great trips together, since I wanted to see more of Canada and the area. During the day, I spent a lot of time with Johan, which was always relaxed and fun. We often went into town together, to the pub to watch baseball, shopping, and much more. In the house I had my own room, although without a window. But I knew that before I came, so it was no problem. The house is very big and you can comfortably spend time in the living room. There were two exchange students staying with the family at the same time as me, so with the daughter we were six people in total. The family lives in a rural area of Kelowna, with beautiful nature and lots of space. The best way to get into the city is by car, which takes about 15 to 20 minutes. It was great that I could always borrow a car, otherwise getting around Kelowna would have been very difficult. There is a bus, but it runs very irregularly and the trip takes a long time. My tasks were mainly cleaning, renovation work in the yellow house, walking Cobo, and cooking. I was expected to work about 5 hours a day, and I had weekends off to do things. If I had other plans in the afternoon, it was never a problem. I always did the renovation work together with Johan. Cleaning the big house was quite a lot of work; vacuuming had to be done every day (there are dog hairs everywhere). It was a bit annoying that the exchange students didn’t do anything themselves, so I often had to clean up their mess too. Cobo is a sweet and well-trained dog. But you should be comfortable with dogs in general, because he is big, very strong, and weighs 45 kg. When walking him, you have to hold him firmly if he sees something interesting like a squirrel. If you like hiking, I can recommend Knox Mountain, Myra Canyon Trestles, and Spion Kop. The views there are amazing. In Kelowna, I can recommend the art gallery and the cat café. Overall, I can definitely recommend Kelowna. And I wish you a wonderful Workaway adventure! 😊

Daniel approaches every task with calmness and patience, always seeing his commitments through to the end. He’s a true jack-of-all-trades, able to help in many different areas. It’s also a pleasure to chat with him and learn interesting things about Canadian culture. A reliable, versatile, and easygoing volunteer. Be careful when you play ping pong with him, he will beat you every time!

Volker is an amazing, caring, and friendly soul who genuinely loves sharing his knowledge and skills with others. We shared beautiful conversations, scientific discussions, and plenty of laughs. He is a patient and helpful teacher, always happy to explain how things work or how to do something more efficiently. He chose tasks for me that helped me learn something new every single day. In the evenings, I had the pleasure of cooking for us with the gifts from his garden, and at lunchtime I enjoyed the delicious smoothies he prepared. I’m truly grateful for all the small stories, interesting facts, and recommendations that he shared with me. He’s such an easy and nice person to be around, I felt at home straight away.

I cannot even begin to say good things about this family. Like the other reviews say, I felt part of the family since I entered the house. Everyone was so sweet, and I miss them a lot! Even months later we are still in contact. Gonzalo is a sweet, energetic young boy, Álvaro is a clever, curious boy, and Violeta is very mature, artistic, and nearly fluent in English. The 'work' was minimal, and they always kept things entertaining (especially Gonzalo and Álvaro, haha)! I just taught Álvaro coding 1 hour per morning, Gonzalo English for 1 hour (though sometimes he got distracted), then played with them for ~2.5 hours. We had a lot of fun doing things such as learning how to use chopsticks, playing Among Us in real life, and making sushi. I had a lot of free time and even made friend with other au pairs in the area Irene introduced me to and locals from Castellón, but I still loved hanging out with the family even when I was 'off.' I taught the boys how to mine netherite, and Violeta and I enjoyed kpop together. I also would watch a Minecraft Youtuber with the boys every night before bed. At the same time, they respected my space, and I was free to just hang out alone in my room if I wanted to or go to the beach and grab a coffee, which is very nearby. The water is very warm! Irene and Guillermo are very welcoming and accommodating, and they even put up with all my public transportation issues, haha. Even though we are from different cultures, I never felt judged; if anything, they were even more interested in my perspective and what I had to say each night at the dinner table. Irene would cook most nights, and I was in charge of making my lunch, but that was no problem as I had freedom in the kitchen. Irene even texted before asking if I wanted any specific ingredients. Guillermo would give me rides when I needed to the train station as well as detailed public transportation instructions, and I visited Valencia and even got to see Madrid when they gave me time over a long weekend. I also got in a tough spot a few weeks later after leaving them, and they rescued me from my situation. I could not have been more grateful. To Irene and Guillermo seeing this, thank you so much. I will remember my time with you guys and your lovely children forever. Thank you for being the highlight of my time in Spain, and I will try to visit when I come to the country in the future! The weeks I spent with them I will truly cherish forever, and I

We had a wonderful experience with this amazing family. When we arrived, they welcomed us with so much warmth that it felt as if we had known each other forever. Greg, Katia and the kids made us feel at home from the very first day. It was a pleasure to play with the children and to cook pizza and cakes for the whole family. Even though our stay was short, we truly felt like we had found a family on the other side of the world. It was hard to leave because they made us feel welcomed and cared for from day one. We really hope to come back one day. Thank you for everything!

Daria and Viola are an adventurous travel duo and you should not miss the chance to meet them! They are kind, funny and hard working and had an important impact at the farm. They are curious to learn new skills and quickly adapt and work independently wherever help is needed. At the farm they helped with Gardening, building (i.e. a new kitchen table, a shelf and chairs from natural materials) repairs all around, cooking, cleaning and organizing with Workaway and many other tasks. Daria can share with you her authentic Italian Tomato sauce recipe, she can teach you (and beat you!) at many card games or build a beautiful kitchen table and help you with using different tools for woodworking. Viola was an especially great help with planning the comings and goings of volunteers for the upcoming months. She is also a talented graphic designer and has a lot of experience with social media and digital work as well. After the work Viola and Daria like to play games, explore the surrounding waterfalls and go hiking or do creative activities together like wood carving, painting or singing together and sharing stories at the bonfire. They are both wonderful people and I hope to host them at the farm again!

Aya and Fraja were exceptional volunteers. They are hard-working, calm, and wonderfully sociable, which made having them on the farm a real pleasure. They contributed to every aspect of the work: building bamboo structures, using a variety of tools with care and confidence, harvesting, planting, and keeping the garden neat and well-maintained. They are willing to learn, with dedication to each task and a positive attitude and they can share with you the recipes for delicious danish bread!

Kariss is a very warm person, always kind and willing to help and listen to everyone. She helped a lot with the Workaway organization and she doesn't mind hard work, she can help with any tasks: gardening, building, moving gravel, cooking, harvesting... She is very creative, ranging from woodcarving and painting to tattooing! She is always up to join an hike, have a chat or just chilling with you, but careful because she is very passionate about horror movies and she will try to convince everyone to watch one with her! Having her around is never boring and you will always have a good time together.

Tim is polite, considerate, and communicative. He showed genuine interest in our cultural projects and shared thoughtful perspectives during discussions. Unfortunately, due to health and environmental adaptation issues, he wasn’t able to complete the full volunteering period. His early departure was handled responsibly, and he kept good communication throughout. We appreciate the time and effort he spent with us and wish him the best in his future travels and creative pursuits.

I spent one month volunteering at the be-school in Karakol, and it was truly a wonderful experience. The students were very curious, motivated, and genuinely interested both in learning English and in getting to know me. The teachers were extremely friendly and welcoming, and the overall working atmosphere was warm and supportive. Ms. Kunduz was always available and supportive, and I never felt left alone at any point. She built this wonderful school entirely on her own, which is truly impressive and inspiring. Most of my tasks took place in the so-called “speaking corner,” where I spoke with the students in English between their regular lessons. I really enjoyed the freedom to be creative and to design fun and engaging activities. From time to time, I also covered classes for the teachers, which was an interesting challenge since the levels and ages of the groups varied quite a bit. My host family welcomed me with great warmth and hospitality. However, I would say that volunteers should be open-minded and flexible, as you don’t really know what to expect beforehand. Since no one in the family was fluent in English, I sometimes missed deeper communication and also a bit of quiet time, as it was a large household with many children. Still, I am grateful for their kindness and for gaining insight into their daily life. Overall, I am very thankful for this experience and can definitely recommend volunteering here.

Annie stayed with us for one month, and it was truly a pleasure to have her as part of our team. She is a quiet and slightly shy person, yet she has a deep understanding of our organization’s vision and spirit. During her stay, she supported us in many important tasks, including our book exhibition, and her passion for reading and her professional insights broadened the direction of our future projects. Annie communicates clearly, completes tasks on time, and brings a strong sense of creativity to her work. She proactively offered ideas for our key projects, suggested thoughtful ways to increase the visibility of our programs, and wrote excellent articles that greatly enriched our content. She is exactly the kind of volunteer we hope to collaborate with. We sincerely appreciate everything she contributed during the month she spent with us. Thank you so much- Annie!!!

I first arrived as a workshop facilitator for the festival and then stayed for an additional nine days as a volunteer. This arrangement was set beforehand, though they may had forgotten about it. Karin is a wonderful human being, juggling many responsibilities: bnb properties, festivals, a restaurant, a theatre, and a bar. This can make it challenging for her to oversee everything. Rainor, her business partner and producer, is kind and was very sweet to me, but lost his patience due to late evening noise twice ( which I can understand). His sudden anger can catch you by surprise, but it's best to take it with a grain of salt. Both Karin and Rainor work incredibly hard, making it easy to end up working more than in a typical workaway arrangement. If you set your limits, they will respect that. Also they are flexible with which days you can get off. Karin was very generous with shopping; we could get whatever we wanted (excluding alcoholic beverages and snacks). We even had access to a car for trips to the supermarket or short excursions. The staff were fantastic, and I quickly grew fond of them. My fellow workawayer, Matteo, was a sweetheart. The rooms were comfortable, and our house cozy ( we only didn't have hot water, but there were other showers with hot water on the property 😅). Plus, their gin bar serves delicious cocktails! (I don’t drink much, but I had a taste. 😋) I helped Carlos in the kitchen a bit and would have loved to learn more about cooking. The Peter Brook company performed the last show of the Tempest Project, and I was in charge of ironing their costumes. I also helped clean a guest house that wasn't up to standards upon arrival. We hung out with the theatre company, going to a full moon party of one of Karen's friend and having a last supper and dance together on the last night. So overall it was a positive experience and Skillinge is just beautiful; the sea, nature, flowers, and the charming old mini town. 🪷🌊✨

Kaitlynn stayed with us for three weeks in Keelung, and she was a gentle, responsible, and pleasant volunteer to work with. She communicated well, took initiative when tasks needed clarification, and always completed her work with very good care. During her stay, she supported us with food preparation, painting, hosting local language exchange events, and general cleaning. She adapted well to different tasks and maintained a positive attitude throughout. We truly appreciated her presence, and it was a pleasure having her in our team. Wishing her all the best on her future travels!